11 Chapter 10: Good morning

— On the morning of the next day.

Ai would find herself asleep after harvesting the beets that Envy had planted a week ago. She would wake up upon hearing the doors to her room forcefully open.

"Good morning, boss! How did you sleep?" Envy would enter the room.

"Aawn... Good morning, Envy." She would say, yawning.

Ai raises her torso, sitting up in bed. As she does, part of the sheet shifts slightly downwards, uncovering her chest and...

"W-w-what is that, boss???" Envy would focus her gaze on the side of Ai.

"Huh?" What's gotten into her all of a sudden? Ai rubs her face and looks down, finding the body of the small unknown girl. She would have soft pink hair and was wearing a black dress.

"WHAT!?" Ai jumps out of bed. After that, the girl begins to wake up.

"Ah, I understand, boss... I knew it when you wanted me to be your slave." Envy puts her hand on Ai's shoulder.

What is she talking about? 

"You, no... The world... doesn't accept your preferences!"

"But don't worry, I understand... It excites me to be a slave! So you can do whatever you want to me, boss... I'll accept you just as you are." Envy hugs Ai from behind, trying to comfort her.

Again, where did she get this conclusion from!?

"Good morning..." Someone would be heard yawning, interrupting the conversation.

"No good mornings, who are you supposed to be?"

"How rude... You saved me yesterday when I was about to die."

I saved her?

"I understand, I can definitely help you heal your mental problems."

Wait... Yesterday... Yesterday...

Ai would remember the bat from the previous night.

"Wait, are you that creature from last night?"

"HOW RUDE!" The girl gets off the bed while putting on Ai's clothes, which, being the same size, fit almost perfectly.

Ai and Envy would be astonished. The strange being that didn't fit the definition of bat or human was acting like a childhood friend.

"I am a vampire... I was escaping from some annoying humans who wanted to hunt me, and I ended up trying to cling to that tree to rest and fell. That's when you helped me. That wound was huge, so I turned myself into a vampire to heal faster, but I thought I was going to die anyway... Until you came to save me."

"Although your help hurt like hell."

I can understand... Yesterday's spell was basically about accelerating bodily processes. This should also increase the nerve signals reaching the brain, translating into greater intensity.

"I certainly healed you, but there's no need to thank me, so now you can go-"

"No." The little vampire kneels in front of Ai.

?

"You saved my life, so now it belongs to you... I will repay you by serving you for the rest of my life."

"What are you saying!? I am the only one in charge of Ai. I'll take you out-"

"Oh, is your name Ai?" She interrupts Envy.

"Hey, why are you ignoring me!?"

"Yes. However, I don't understand... All I did was test a spell on you, and in return, I receive a lifelong servant. Doesn't that seem strange to you?" Come on, tell me your goal.

"It may be so, however, the fact that you was there at that precise moment was important. Besides, I learned from my father that if I was going to human territory, I should serve one of them to avoid being enslaved."

Certainly, we could say that this situation is similar to winning the lottery by buying a ticket at the precise moment the winner was announced.

"I understand... In that case, what is your name?"

"My name is Dorothea, I am a noble vampire."

"Noble vampire? Does that mean your father works in politics or something?" It's different from Ai... She didn't have a name at the time of our pact.

"That's right."

"My father is a duke of the Neville Empire... I had a fight with him and decided to find someone to serve. But all humans either avoided me or looked at me strangely... Just when it seemed strange to me, a group of people called adventurers came to try to kill me."

"Hmph, that's obvious... Human territory doesn't view creatures like us kindly."

The atmosphere would be silent for a few seconds, then Envy and Dorothea would turn to look at Ai, who was sweating.

What's wrong with this world? How many times is it going to hit me? Every day there are new things and phenomena I haven't heard of before. Neville Empire? Came to human territory? What does that exactly mean? Could it be that-

"Boss, are you okay?" Envy interrupts her thoughts. Ai would take a more serious posture.

"I thought the Elandoria Empire was the only empire in the world."

"Of course not... There are too many territories beyond the human border. The Neville Empire is primarily a vampire empire."

"Ha... I see." Now that I recall, Envy told me she was looking for the king of her kingdom, I took it lightly because I thought it was a group of creatures hiding from humans, but now it makes sense.

None of this was in the books I've read so far! Without a doubt, I'll have to investigate later...

Ai finishes processing everything after a few seconds.

"I've resolved my main doubts. I don't think there will be any problems."

"Boss!?" Envy begins to get desperate.

"However, my family situation is not the best... That's why I can't introduce you as a maid."

"I think the only option is for you to follow me in your bat form and stay in my room or nearby. Plus, you'll be responsible for patrolling the fief and notifying me of any abnormalities."

"There won't be a problem." She yawns.

"Those are simple things for me... I can separate my consciousness into multiple vampires and explore the entire fief quickly. If that's what you're looking for."

"Ohh... That will work. I'll feel more at ease that way." With Dorothea, my exploration network, which previously consisted only of Envy, expanded immensely. With this, I'll be able to track most movements in the territory in general and prepare for it in advance.

"Then, it will be a pleasure, Dorothea."

"Wait, boss, the pact hasn't been sealed yet."

"How do I do that?"

"If I'm not mistaken..."

"You have to give me a drop of your blood, Ai." Dorothea interrupts Envy.

"I understand..." So the methodologies of the pact differ by species...

Ai approaches her tea table, where the pen would be. After drying the tip, she pricks her right hand's finger and places it over Dorothea, who opens her mouth in a somewhat excited manner.

The drop would fall onto Dorothea's tongue, which would remain silent for a moment.

What is this? Is it human blood? I've never tasted one that's so good! Not even dragon blood!

Dorothea's face would shine with happiness.

"It will be a pleasure, mistress."

"Likewise, Dorothea."

The two beings with childlike bodies and adult minds had successfully formed a master-servant pact, while Envy watched with jealousy.